Piano-action.



No. 628,l8|. Patented July 4, |899.

F. K. KURTZ.

PIANO ACTION. (Applicn'tion lsd Fab.4 2S, 1899.) (No Model.)

` side to side of the action.

UNITED STATESl PATENT OFFICE.

FRED K. KURTZ, OF'.CI-IICAGO, ILLINOIS, ASSIGNOR TO rlHE CHICAGO COTTAGE ORGAN COMPANY, OF SAME PLACE.

PIANO-ACTION.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 628,181, dated July 4, 1899. Application filed February 28, 1899. Serial No. 707,152. (No modelJ To @ZZ whom t may concern:

Be it known that l, FRED K. KURTZ, a'citizen of the United States of America, and a resident of Chicago, Cook county, Illinois, have invented a certain new and useful VImprovement in Piano-Actions, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to certain improvements in the means for hinging the hammer of a piano-action to the rail.

In the action of a piano a rail orcross-piece is provided, which extends horizontally from The various part-s of the action are pivoted or hinged to this rail. The hammers of the action,wl1ich are impelled by the keys to strike the string, are pivoted or hinged in a certain relative position upon this rail or cross-piece.

The object of my invention is to provide an improved pivot orhinge for the hammers upon the rail, so that ready and convenient access maybe had to manipulate the securing means of the hammer and also permit an alinement of the various pivot-points of the hammers.

My invention has certain other objects in view; and it consists in certain features about to be described, reference being now had to the accompanying drawings, in which- Figure l is a side view of the hammer and a fragment of the jack which engages the hammer and a section through the rail. Fig. 2 is a detail perspective view of the pivot-plate and extension, showing one hammer-butt secured in place. Fig. 3 is a plan view showing the manner of securing the hammer-butt pivotally to the pivot extensions. Fig. 4 is a detail section through the pivot plate and extension.

As my invention has relation simply to improvements in the means of hinging or pivoting the hammer to the rail of the action, it is not necessary to illustrate and describe the complicated piano -action of ordinary construction in all its details. It will suffice to illustrate and describe those parts immediately connected with the hammer.

The ham mer is designated at A, and consists of the hammer-butt A2 and the hammer-head A2. The hammer-butt is engaged by the upper end of the jack B, which latter is actuated by the key to move vertically and impel the hammer to the string D.

The rail E is out out at E2 and adapted to receive the pivot-plate H, which is secured to said rail in a vertical position. Projected angularly from and relative to the pivot-plate H are the pivot-holding extensions H2, one for each hammer, these extensions being arranged in a horizontal plane by reason of their angular extension from the'plate H. The hammer-butt A2 is pivotally secured to the extension H2 by means of the pivot-pin J on the hammer-butt and the confining-plate J2, which is secured by the fastening-screwJ. The pivotpin J is clasped and held between the extension H2 and the confining-plate J2.

Among some of the advantages resulting from this construction may be mentioned the fact that the plate I-I is securely held to the rail in a vertical position, with the pivot extensions projected angularly therefrom, affordng convenient access to the fasteningscrew J3 for the purpose of releasing the hammer or securing it in place. Further, the vertical position of the plate H with the angularly-extended pivot-holding extensions forms a solid hinge K between the extensions and the plate, which permits alinement of the pivot-points K2 of the hammers relative to one another. To aline the various pivots K2 of the several hammers, it is simply necessary to forcibly move the extensions with any suitable striking implement into positions which bring the various pivot-points into perfect alinement.

In order to position the hammers relative to the otherparts of the action, it is necessary to cut away the rail, as shown at E2.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new therein, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

In a piano-action the combination of a rail having a horizontally-extending cut-out portion and a hammer, of a pivot or hinged support for the hammer comprising a hinge-plate vertically secured in the cut-out portion of the rail and hinge or pivot extensions formed with and projected angularly from the plate and supporting the pivot of the hammer.

Signed by me, at Chicago, Cook county, Illinois, this 24th day of February, 169,9.

FRED K. KURTZ'.

Witnesses:

SAM BEAMEBS, SWAN NILsoN SWAN. 

